Filing cabinet folder



Sept. 12, 1939. LARSONEFAL 2,172,444

FILING CABINET FOLDER Filed April 16, 1938 V I8 20 3$ 20 2 6 lg/Z' v Q /a M/Vf/VTOR E. w. LARSON c. c. MCCAIN BY ATTORNE Patented Sept. 12, 1939 UNITED STATES FILING CABINET FOLDER Elbert W. Larson,

McCain, Glen Ellyn, Electric Company, N. Y., a corporation Downers Grove, and Cecil O.

111., assignors to Western Incorporated, New: York,

of New York Application April 16, 1938, Serial No. 202,400

4 Claims.

This invention relates to filing cabinet folders and more particularly to sealing means for folders used in filing material in cabinets.

An object of this invention is to provide a simple, practical and eiiicient seal for folders of the aforementioned type which is effective to prevent the entrance of dust and in the case of an adjacent fire, of smoke and water into the folders or the cabinet.

In accordance with the above object, the invention in one embodiment thereof, as applied to sheet material or drawing folders constructed from bottom members and flexible covers, the folders being open at their forward ends and in- 16' sertable in horizontally disposed cabinet compartments, also open at their forward ends, contemplates a seal for the folder and compartment. Specifically the seal comprises a block of sponge rubber or like material substantially semi-circular in cross section, which is attached to the upper surface of the folder bottom and extends across the forward end of the folder and between the sides of the compartment, the flexible cover extending forward of the seal and engaging its upper surface. The sponge rubber seal is of such height that when the folder is fully inserted in its compartment it will be slightly distorted to form a tight seal to prevent the entrance of dust and in the case of an adjacent fire of smoke and water into the folder and cabinet compartment.

Other objects and advantages of the invention Will be understood by reference to the following specification and accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cabinet having folders provided with seals embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section of a portion of the cabinet showing several folders in position in their compartments;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of Fig. 2 showing the forward end of the folder and compartment, and

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 at one side of the folder and compartment.

In the drawing I0 indicates generally one type of filing cabinet having folders or containers II to which the sealing means of this invention has been found particularly useful. Such a type of filing cabinet is fully disclosed in the C. J. Kay Patent No. 1,713,875 of May 21, 1929, to which reference may be had for a more complete disclosure. The cabinet I0 comprises a plurality of legs I2, a pair of sides I3, a back I4 (Fig. 2) and a top I5. Secured to the sides I3 are a plurality of supporting strips I8 upon which are mounted a plurality of frames I9 in evenly spaced positions. The spaces between adjacent frames I9 I form compartments 20 into which are inserted 5 the folders I I for receiving sheet material. Each folder or container II comprises a pressboard back or bottom 22 and a flexible top or cover 23, preferably of canvas which is secured to the bottom adjacent the rear edge thereof, as indicated 0 at 24 (Fig. 2).

Suitably attached by adhesive or otherwise to the upper surface of the folder bottom 22 adjacent its forward edge is a block 25 of sponge rubber or like stantially semi-circular in cross-section. The sponge rubber block 25 extends across the entire width of the folder bottom between the inner opposed surfaces of the frame supporting strips I 8 and is of such height that when the folder I I is 20 fully inserted in its compartment 20, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, with the flexible cover 23 in closed position over the rounded upper surface of the block 25, the latter will be distorted sufiiciently to form a tight seal for the folder and com- 25 partment.

When a folder I I, either filled or partially filled, is inserted in one of the compartments 20 it will be placed under suitable pressure to properly maintain the material in a flat condition therein, 30 since the height of the compartment is such to effect this pressure on the folder. The forward edges of the frames I9 are beveled, as indicated at 26 (Fig. 3) to assist in admitting the folders II into the compartments 20 and are provided 35 with recesses 21 (Fig. 1) to facilitate the handling of the folders when withdrawing them from the compartments.

It will be noted that the folder cover 23 extends substantially to the forward edges of the frames 40 I9 and projects beyond the forward edge of the folder bottom 22, thus providing means in cooperation with the frame recesses 21 for grasping the folder I I when it is withdrawn.

Conveniently located slidable shelves 30 are car- 45 ried in the cabinet ID to aid in handling the folders II. When sheets of flat material, such as inked tracings on cloth used in making blueprints, are to be filed, the most convenient shelf at below the compartment 20 in which the trac- 50 ings are to be filed, is drawn outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 1. Suitable means (not shown) is provided for limiting the outward movement of the shelf. The tracings are then placed in the desired order on the fo der bottom 55 yieldable material which is sub- 22 and covered by the canvas cover 23. The

' folder I l is longer than the shelf 30 and the shelf may be used to aid in inserting the folder in its compartment 20 by tilting the folder on the forward edge of the shelf to insert the rear edge of the folder between the beveled edges 26 of the frames I9 which form the selected compartment 20. Thereafter the folder II is swung upwardly and slid into its filed position in the compartment. When the folder or container H is fully inserted in the compartment, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the sponge rubber seal 25 is slightly distorted and in addition to closing the open forward ends of the folder and compartment it provides a tight seal to prevent the entrance of dust and in the case of an adjacent fire, of smoke and water into the folder and compartment and also into the cabinet.

It will be understood that the embodiment herein described is merely illustrative of the invention and one application thereof, the invention being limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a folder for filing material in an openfront compartment of a cabinet, said compartment having upper and lower wall elements, attached upper and lower folder members open at their forward ends between which the material is carried, said lower member being slidable solely upon the lower wall element, and yieldable means carried by one of said members adjacent its forward end effective when the folder is inserted in the cabinet compartment to form a tight seal between said upper member of the folder and said upper wall element of the compartment.

2. In a folder for filing material in an openfront compartment of a cabinet, said compartment having upper and lower wall elements, upper and lower flexible and rigid folder members attached together at one end andopen at their forward ends for securing material therebetween,

said rigid member being slidable solely upon the lower wall element, and a block of yieldable material attached to the upper surface of said rigid member adjacent its forward end, the flexible member extending across the upper surface of said block, said block effective when the folder is inserted in the cabinet compartment to form a tight seal between the upper member of the folder and said upper wall element of the compartment.

3. In a folder for filing material in an openfront compartment of a cabinet, said compartment having upper and lower wall elements, a bottom folder member extending across the compartment for supporting the material, said bottom member being slidable solely upon the lower wall element, a flexiblecover attached to said member at its rear end, said member and cover being I unattached at their forward ends, and a block of yieldable material attached to the forward end of the bottom member and extending across and between said bottom member and cover effective when the folder is inserted in the cabinet compartment to form a tight seal between said cover of the folder and said upper wall element of the compartment.

4. In a folder for filing sheet material in an open-front compartment of a cabinet, a rigid bottom member extending across the compartment for supporting the sheet material, a flexiblecover attached to said member at its .rear end, said member and cover being unattached at their forward ends, and a block of sponge rubber attached to the upper surface of said member at its forward end and extending across the same, the cover extending across the upper surface of said block, said sponge rubber block being so dimensioned that upon the folder being inserted in the cabinet compartment it is compressed and effectively seals the folder and compartment.

ELBERT W. LARSON. CECIL C. MCCAIN. 

